One Last Chili Go Round

With daylight savings behind us (which, by the way, is anyone else still having a hard time waking up?), we’re so looking forward to spring and sunshine, and we’ve really enjoyed powering down our laptops before the sun sets. We’re thisclose to warmer weather, but in Chicago, you’ll still find us bundled in puffy coats and earmuffs as the cold, snowy days wind down. It’s during this in-between time (eek, everything is in such limbo with us lately, huh?) that we can squeeze in those last few dishes of comfort food – with chili topping the list!

Scott shared our chili recipe years ago, but it’s one of our all time favorite cozy meals. Soon, we’ll all be consuming nothing but grilled yummies, so it’s worth making one last pot before the seasons change. Here’s how we do it – below, from Scott’s original post – one more time for old times’ sake.

Start with the biggest soup pot you’ve got. Ours is 8 quarts, but you could easily get by with a 6.5 quart. If it’s non-stick, all the better. Brown 2 pounds of ground beef, then drain – or if you’re meat-free, skip this step altogether. Add 1 medium diced white onion and 1 large seeded and finely chopped fresh jalapeno pepper. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes or until onion is soft, then add the following:

1 28oz can diced tomatoes with juice
2 8oz cans tomato puree
1 16 oz can of yellow corn (drained)
1 12 oz can Pabst Blue Ribbon
1 16 oz can black beans (drained)
1 16 oz can kidney beans (drained)
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp basil
1 tsp creole spice (or cumin if you don’t have it)
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp caribbean jerk seasoning (or crushed red pepper)
1 tbsp mild hungarian paprika

Continue to simmer on medium for about 1/2 hour, cover, then simmer on low as long as you like, stirring occasionally. I tend to aim for 3+ hours of a low simmer, but start in the morning and cook until dinnertime if you can.

As I mentioned before, add or subtract whatever you desire. My lovely wife has a strange food allergy to green peppers (mainly, she hates them), so we don’t use them. And while some people aren’t fans of corn in their chili, we are. Give it a try!

Serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions and tortilla chips. Give it a shot and let us know what you think, and if there’s anything else you’d like to suggest, we’re open to suggestions!